Point guard is one of the positions that the Mavericks really don’t need make a move on this offseason. Dennis Smith Jr shows great promise, continuing to build on a very impressive rookie season and Jalen Brunson is a proven winner who has shown to be very effective in his limited minutes. Luka Doncic will also be a primary ball handler so it is not necessary to bring in another big name point guard. With that said, there are some very good players on this list, and in an era where shooting and player movement most important, you may regret overlooking these guys just because we already have a few guards.
Other Free-Agency Articles:
Mavs Free Agent Christmas List
Mavs Free Agency: Shooting Guards
Mavs Free Agency: Small Forwards
Mavs Free Agency: Power Forwards
*Warning: there may be explicit language in highlight videos.
RFA – Restricted Free Agent
UFA – Unrestricted Free Agent
PO – Player Option
TO – Team Option
Career Earnings – Money earned by NBA salary through the 2018-2019 season, does not include 2019 Option amount.
1.
| Type | Age | 2018 Salary | Career Earnings | 2019 Option |
| PO | 26 | $20.1 M | $94.7 M | $21.3 M |
| GP | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PTS | |
| ’18-’19 | 14 | 32.7 | 50% | 42% | 84% | 4.6 | 5.9 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 22.3 |
| Career | 455 | 33.9 | 46% | 39% | 87% | 3.5 | 5.5 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 22 |
2012 Rookie of the Year, 5x All-Star, NBA Champion, Kyrie Irving has racked up some impressive achievements in his first 7 years in the league, including what may be the biggest shot in NBA Finals history He has some of the sickest handles EVER and finishes off the glass like few others even think about. An absolute assassin than can get buckets any way he wants or can set up teammates for easy scores. This guy is an absolute game-changer.
Remember, he has never signed a contract with Boston, he was traded after telling Cavs management that he wanted out after they lost in the 2017 NBA Finals. The Celtics are winning organization loaded with young assets and a top tier head coach so it would be surprising to see Kyrie move on from Boston. As with every big free agent, there are rumors he wants to try to be the one to bring championship basketball back to New York, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
2.
| Type | Age | 2018 Salary | Career Earnings |
| UFA | 29 | $12 M | $58.7 M |
| GP | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PTS | |
| ’18-’19 | 15 | 35.1 | 46% | 38% | 86% | 4.5 | 6.1 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 28.7 |
| Career | 537 | 33.9 | 42% | 36% | 83% | 3.8 | 5.4 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 19.1 |
If anyone should try to revive New York basketball it should be this Bronx point guard who is just too quick and too tough that its unfair. Madison Square Garden would love his mix of lighting quick crossovers, step back jumpers, and acrobatic finishes that make even the best defenders look pathetic.
We know he is a big time clutch player from his unbelievable run at UConn to win 11 straight games and the National Championship in 2011. He showed he still has the ability to go next level by his 60 points performance on Saturday night in a loss against the 76ers. Kemba is is off to a ridiculous start this year, second in the entire NBA is scoring and playing his heart out every night for a Hornets team who second best player is…umm…Jeremy Lamb? Batum? Tony Parker? He has only been in the league for 7 seasons but he is already the all-time leading scorer in Charlotte Hornets history. I, for one, hope that Kemba takes this chance to get out of Charlotte and head somewhere that he can can have a real chance to compete and advance in the playoffs where he is at his best.
3.
| Type | Age | 2018 Salary | Career Earnings | 2019 Option |
| PO | 32 | $18.1 M | $95.9 M | $19.2 M |
| GP | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PTS | |
| ’18-’19 | 12 | 30.8 | 42% | 32% | 76% | 3.3 | 4.7 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 16.3 |
| Career | 734 | 28.1 | 47% | 36% | 76% | 3.1 | 4.8 | 0.2 | 1 | 13.8 |
Dragic is one of the most underrated players in the league. 2014 Most Improved Player, 2014 All-NBA, and 2018 All Star, Dragic does not have a very flashy game but he is relentless and effective.
Dragic and Luka Doncic led the Slovenian National team to a 2017 EuroBasket title in which Dragic was named tournament MVP. It cannot be overlooked how well he and Luka played together, and how much he respects Luka’s greatness and wants to see him succeed. Although point guard is a position where the Mavericks are pretty deep, adding Luka’s fellow countryman could potentially be a great move in Luka’s development as an NBA superstar.
But seriously, can we re-take his picture??
4.
| Type | Age | 2018 Salary | Career Earnings | 2019 Option |
| PO | 30 | $19 M | $77.7 M | $19 M |
| GP | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PTS | |
| ’18-’19 | 10 | 32.1 | 39% | 30% | 89% | 2.2 | 8 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 14 |
| Career | 680 | 27.7 | 45% | 36% | 85% | 2.5 | 5.7 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 12.8 |
The ninth pick in the 2009 draft out of Wake Forest, Jeff Teague is super quick and super athletic, allowing him to get to the rim and get a lot of run out steals. He was an All-Star in 2015 when he averaged 16 points and 7 assists for the first place, 60-win Atlanta Hawks that were swept in the playoffs by the eventual NBA Champion, Cleveland Cavaliers.
The 8 assists per game he is averaging this season is good for 5th in the entire league. Teague will never be an All-Star in the Western Conference but he is a very good player, capable of being the point guard on a contending playoff team.
5.
| Type | Age | 2018 Salary | Career Earnings |
| RFA | 23 | $7M | $23 M |
| GP | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PTS | |
| ’18-’19 | 16 | 27.2 | 41% | 38% | 74% | 3.5 | 5.2 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 16.9 |
| Career | 207 | 27.7 | 41% | 35% | 75% | 3.6 | 4.4 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 14.7 |
Russell is a curious case. The number two overall pick in 2015, D’Angelo Russell was a very exciting prospect, he looked like a big point guard with next level scoring and passing skills and self-proclaimed ice in his veins when the game is on the line. He was shunned from the Lakers for recording teammate Nick Young’s conversation, outing him for his infidelity to then fiancé and pop/hip hop artist Iggy Azalea. This fractured his respect with teammates to the point that they traded Russell just to offload the terrible Mozgov contract.
Russell still has a lot of skills and is only 23 years old, just a basketball baby. He is off to a pretty good start this season, but in order to show a team he can be a starter on a winning team he will have to become much more efficient. There are not many reasons to watch a Brooklyn Nets game but the Mavs have them coming up on Wednesday (11/21) so we will get a first hand look at him soon to see what kind of progress he has or has not made.
6.
| Type | Age | 2018 Salary | Career Earnings |
| UFA | 28 | $15 M | $71.5 M |
| GP | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PTS | |
| ’18-’19 | 15 | 30.1 | 34% | 27% | 82% | 3.3 | 6.9 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 10.8 |
| Career | 445 | 31.3 | 38% | 32% | 84% | 4.3 | 7.9 | 0.1 | 2 | 10.8 |
After being incredibly hyped as young Spanish point guard who was a wizard with the basketball, Rubio’s first couple years in the league were very lack luster, mostly for the fact that his jump shot was atrocious. Now a 7 year veteran, Rubio has developed into a really good point guard and basketball player. The passing and playmaking is legit, he comes up with a bunch of steals, and he has improved his 3 point shooting enough to where it has to be respected. His shooting has regressed this season, but that may just be a slow start to the season.
Tricky Ricky was a big part of the Utah Jazz’s playoff success last season where they dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder, winning in 6 games with Rubio averaging 14 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Still in his physical prime, Rubio has the potential to get a really big deal this summer if he can convince GM’s his playoff performance wasn’t a fluke.
7.
| Type | Age | 2018 Salary | Career Earnings |
| UFA | 30 | $2.2 M | $121.4 M |
| GP | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PTS | |
| ’18-’19 | 14 | 30.2 | 46% | 47% | 82% | 3.8 | 4.9 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 19 |
| Career | 509 | 33.7 | 45% | 30% | 82% | 3.6 | 5.7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 18.9 |
Rose was the youngest MVP in league history at age 22 when he averaged 27 points, 7.7 assists, and 4 rebounds per game for the 1st place Chicago Bulls in 2012. Several knee injuries later, Rose lost a lot of his explosiveness and was considered an afterthought in the NBA. But in one of the best redemption stories D-Rose has rejuvenated himself in a big way.
Back with his old Coach, Tom Thibodeau, in Minnesota, Rose has carved out a nice leadership role with the young Wolves. As backup to the #4 player on this list, Jeff Teague, Rose proved he is still a force to be reckoned with in his 50 point outburst early this season against the tough Utah Jazz defense. He has changed his game from his epically quick, explosive, above the rim style to a more jump shot, craft-finisher type attack. Now averaging a very efficient 19 points per game, with a measurable improvement in his 3 point shot, this will be a big year for Rose leading up to free agency but one thing is for sure, D-Rose isn’t done.
8.
| Type | Age | 2018 Salary | Career Earnings |
| UFA | 30 | $2 M | $31.1 M |
| GP | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PTS | |
| ’17-’18 | 32 | 26.9 | 37% | 29% | 89% | 2.1 | 4.8 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 15.2 |
| Career | 473 | 29.8 | 44% | 36% | 88% | 2.6 | 5.1 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 18.9 |
Isaiah Thomas was the last overall pick in the 2011 draft by the Kings, then had a stint in Phoenix, and finally found a home in Boston. Playing his role as King of the Fourth, Thomas had an MVP caliber season (29 points, 6 assists) with the Celtics when he led a not very talented Boston Celtics team to the best record in the Eastern Conference and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017.
He gave Boston his heart and his soul that season, having legendary fourth quarter performances every night while dealing with injuries and the tragic death of his 22 year old sister. He loved Boston and Boston loved him, but he was suddenly shipped out the next year to Cleveland who eventually dumped him to the Lakers. It was a quick rise and a quick fall for Thomas, his stock dropped so far that he had to sign a 1 year minimum contract with the Nuggets this past summer. He has yet to play to play a game this season but it is going to be very interesting to see how he looks coming back from injury, I hope it is peak ‘King of the Fourth’ because that is a ton of fun to watch.
9.
| Type | Age | 2018 Salary | Career Earnings |
| RFA | 26 | $1.5 M | $3.8 M |
| GP | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PTS | |
| ’18-’19 | 15 | 30 | 49% | 43% | 100% | 4 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 13.9 |
| Career | 138 | 28 | 47% | 40% | 89% | 3.1 | 3.7 | 0.2 | 1 | 11.6 |
Second round draft pick, Malcolm Brogdon, won the 2017 Rookie of the Year award averaging 10 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds per game (a far cry from the 20, 6, and 3 that Luka is averaging) as a 24 year old rookie out of Virginia. He is a big 6’5″ point guard who is a good defender and very efficient from the field.
He is averaging 30 minutes per game on the second best team in the entire league, 3rd on the team behind Giannis and Middleton. Brogdon’s career is off to a terrific start, but in order to get a big contract in free agency he is is going to have to show he can get it done in the playoffs.
10.
| Type | Age | 2018 Salary | Career Earnings |
| UFA | 35 | $3.7 M | $33 M |
| GP | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PTS | |
| ’18-’19 | 14 | 18.7 | 38% | 27% | 68% | 2.3 | 5.8 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 9.6 |
| Career | 778 | 19.7 | 42% | 35% | 79% | 2.1 | 3.9 | 0 | 0.4 | 8.9 |
If anyone still thinks JJ is some sort of gimmick or that he is a “nice little player” is wildly mistaken because, in fact, JJ Barea is BIG TIME. Right now he is leading one of, if not the most, potent second units in the league with a usage rate of 27%, equal to that of Kyrie Irving and John Wall. His per 36 minute averages of 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists show he is highly productive when he is only floor. His shooting percentages are not good this year but his effect is undeniable.
He is a maestro, orchestrating the offense to perfection when he is operating a pick and pop with Dirk Nowitzki or the pick and roll with Dwight Powell. He wants to take and make big shots in big moments, and he usually does. Count me in for re-signing Barea this off-season.
Bonus Video:
Other Free Agent Shooting Guards:
| Jeremy Lin | ATL | PG | UFA | 31 | $12,766,667 |
| Darren Collison | IND | PG | UFA | 32 | $10,000,000 |
| Rajon Rondo | LAL | PG | UFA | 33 | $9,000,000 |
| Jerryd Bayless | PHI | PG | UFA | 31 | $9,000,000 |
| Cory Joseph | IND | PG | UFA | 28 | $7,472,500 |
| Milos Teodosic | LAC | PG | RFA | 32 | $6,150,000 |
| Ishmael Smith | DET | PG | UFA | 31 | $6,000,000 |
| Patrick Beverley | HOU | PG | UFA | 31 | $5,756,757 |
| Emmanuel Mudiay | NYK | PG | RFA | 23 | $3,505,000 |
| Cameron Payne | CHI | PG | RFA | 25 | $2,400,184 |
| Raymond Felton | OKC | PG | UFA | 35 | $2,393,887 |
| Devin Harris | DAL | PG | UFA | 36 | $2,393,887 |
| Jose Calderon | DET | PG | UFA | 38 | $2,393,887 |
| Terry Rozier | BOS | PG | RFA | 25 | $2,192,428 |
| Shelvin Mack | MEM | PG | UFA | 29 | $2,029,463 |
| Jerian Grant | ORL | PG | RFA | 26 | $1,892,139 |
| Isaiah Canaan | PHX | PG | UFA | 28 | $1,757,429 |
| Michael Carter-Williams | HOU | PG | UFA | 27 | $1,757,429 |
| Tyus Jones | MIN | PG | RFA | 23 | $1,634,299 |
| Tim Frazier | NOP | PG | UFA | 28 | $1,621,415 |
| Lorenzo Brown | TOR | PG | UFA | 29 | $1,621,415 |
| Ryan Arcidiacono | CHI | PG | RFA | 25 | $1,349,383 |
| Trey Burke | NYK | PG | UFA | 26 | $1,289,588 |
| T.J. McConnell | PHI | PG | UFA | 27 | $1,117,908 |
| Spencer Dinwiddie | BKN | PG | UFA | 26 | $967,911 |
| Wade Baldwin | POR | PG | UFA | 23 | $887,422 |
| Brad Wanamaker | BOS | PG | RFA | 30 | $838,464 |
| Quinn Cook | GSW | PG | RFA | 26 | $779,892 |
Other Free-Agency Articles:
Mavs Free Agent Christmas List
Mavs Free Agency: Shooting Guards
Mavs Free Agency: Small Forwards
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